NAKASONGOLA will not back the Mengo establishment in its pursuit of the federo system of governance, the new district chairman, James Wandera, has said. He said on Wednesday that Nakasongola preferred the government-proposed regional tier because it is more practical than federo. “Mengo wants a federal system of governance where the Kabaka has political powers. This cannot be possible in the present Uganda,” he said on Tuesday.

He dismissed allegations that the Baruuli want to secede from Buganda because of their cultural ties with Bunyoro. “We are still part of Buganda but we want the Mengo establishment to know that the Baruuli have their own cultural values that differ from those of Baganda,” he said.

He said Uganda is a small country that should remain unified so as to develop faster. “It does not make sense to fragment the country into smaller units,” he said.

Nakasongola was annexed from Bunyoro Kingdom following the 1900 Buganda agreement.

Our Father who art in the West,Hallowed be thy name!Thy kingdom come.Thy will be done in Africa, as it is in the world over.Give us this day our daily loan and grant.And forgive us our debts, as we forgive thoseof our cronnies and relatives.In turn, we shall give away our land for freeto all needy tycoons, wherever and whomever be they.And lead us not into democracy,but deliver us from backward peasants asking for federalism:For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory,forever and ever.Amen.

Mengo has set conditions to guide fresh federo talks expected to resume this year. The Katikkiro of Buganda, Mr Daniel Muliika, said the new guidelines would help to avoid back and forth slides from stakeholders.

Among the conditions is the need to bring on board all federo cherishing communities.

"The new negotiations must not isolate Buganda as the only federo demanding kingdom," Muliika said at Mengo on Monday.

"This is intended to create a negative impression against the kingdom. We must go as a team with other kingdoms because they also have similar problems and I think this will even ease the President's work in settling the kingdoms' grievances at once."

The development comes on the heels of a meeting Buganda MPs held with Mengo officials urging them to hold transparent talks with the central government and involve all stakeholders.

The MPs advised the kingdom to involve legislators and members of the parliamentary legal committee for clear proceedings.

The kingdom said a new Mengo federo negotiating team would be announced. Muliika also reiterated that during the re-negotiation, they would not allow any provision for an elected katikkiro.

Having an elected katikkiro has been a particularly thorny issue among the Baganda, which they have interpreted as demeaning the kingdom.

Said Muliika: "We shall then write the kingdom's constitution, which must be consented on by the Lukiiko (parliament) before signing any agreement."

In February, the Lukiiko through a unanimous vote, roundly rejected government's proposed regional tier just months after Parliament had passed the proposal.

Buganda Katikkiro Daniel Muliika has cautioned the government against imposing the regional tier system on the people of Uganda.

"The major reason why Uganda experienced a lot of anarchy before 1986 was that leaders were forcing unwanted types of governance on people," Muliika said on May 2 at Mengo."The government should avoid such mistakes."

The remarks come after the government last year negotiated with Mengo for a regional tier system of governance instead of the much sought after federo.

The new arrangement dictated that the Katikkiro of Buganda would be elected under adult suffrage contrary to Mengo's tradition.

Of all the inadequacies of the tier system, electing a Katikkiro was not well received among the Baganda. Little wonder that in February Mengo passed a unanimous resolution rejecting the tier just months after Parliament had passed the proposal.

The stormy Buganda Lukiiko (parliament) session reverted to the earlier demand for federo. Muliika said even the Odoki report, conducted under the supervision of the central government, recommended federo for Buganda and a return of its property.

He said the kingdom would ask Queen Elizabeth II during her Commonwealth Summit visit to list Buganda's property as per the 1900 agreement.

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